The afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the academy's grounds, painting the lush gardens, towering spires, and river waters in a dazzling spectacle of light. Dior and I strolled down the cobblestone path that wound through the gardens, the scent of flowers wafting through the air.

  I was surprised by the sheer number and diversity of the flora on this island.

  Wait.

  I paused, staring at a bunch of trees and flowers I definitely knew, and definitely looked out of place.

  "I'm... still not used to the idea of magic, and how it just seems to be everywhere here," I said, turning to Dior. "There's no way these can bloom in Autumn normally, right?"

  Dior blinked in surprise. "You do not know the basic fundamentals? How do they teach you in the academies on Earth?"

  I shrugged. "I mean, it's hard to teach what doesn't exist. I've been trying to catch up, but there's so much information to take in. Magic is still a new concept for me."

  "Mmm..." Dior said, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Dior has used magic since she could remember. It is like walking, but more... intentional? Dior supposes this is difficult for her to explain."

  "That's alright," I assured her. "I appreciate the thought, though. It's a lot to wrap my head around, especially when it seems like second nature to everyone here. Like this," I gestured at a nearby tree.

  It was a Sakura tree in full bloom, its pink petals contrasting against the vibrant green leaves.

  "An astute observation, Ikki..." Dior murmured. She walked towards the tree and held out her hand. The air around her seemed to hum with energy, and the pink petals shimmered in response.

  "Dior can feel the mana flowing through the tree, drawn in by a simple enchantment to encourage its growth."

  "Huh. Wonder how that's like," I said.

  "Dior wonders as well," she agreed, turning back to face me. "To not use mana... to live without the use of spells or enchantments must be... limiting? This one cannot fathom how people of Earth can manage. But you have your own marvels, do you not? This one has heard stories about your civilization."

  "Oh yeah," I said with a laugh. "We have a lot of stuff, but it's all powered by electricity or fossil fuels, not magic. No spells or enchantments for us."

  "This one sees..." Dior murmured, her eyes glittering with curiosity. "Yet mana flows in you as well. Faintly, as one untrained in its use, but this one is sure of it. Dior would like to teach you to use it one day."

  Rai-chan did tell me all living things have magic.

  Still, it was a well-documented observation that the latent levels in Earthborn people couldn't really make it work. The early contact folks were just as disappointed as I felt.

  "I appreciate the thought, but your people have had hundreds of years to learn to harness this, right?" I asked, a hint of skepticism creeping into my voice. "They did try to teach some of us at first contact, so I heard, but the people on Earth were never able to get a grip on how it all works. How long does it typically take someone here to learn magic, anyway?"

  I could feel Dior's eyes boring into me, assessing me with a neutral expression before looking away.

  "This one doesn't know," she said finally, a note of concern in her voice. "Dior didn't have a choice, so Dior doesn't have normal metrics to go by."

  "Well, I don't know how well this is going to work, Dior, but thank you," I said, trying to sound upbeat. "What's mana feel like to you, anyway?"

  "Dior isn't sure how to say..." She paused, searching for the right words.

  Then, she bent down and plucked one of the petals from the ground and placed it in my hand. It felt soft and velvety against my skin.

  "There is... mana everywhere. In every living being, and most non-living objects, too. Mana is an essential part of the fabric of reality," she continued, taking a step closer to me. "It is like... like a river flowing beneath the surface. We cannot see it, but it is always there. It is a river that flows through us all, connecting us to the world around us."

  She held her palm above mine, and the air between us crackled with an unseen force.

  "This one does not know what mana feels like to Earthlings," she said, her eyes locked onto mine. "But Dior feels it like this."

  The air between our hands began to shimmer and distort, and then a faint glow emerged from her palm.

  "Dior feels the river beneath the surface, and draws upon it. It is a part of her, as much as her own heart and soul."

  I looked down at my palm, the faint glow emanating from her hand reflected in my eyes.

  "Like a second heartbeat," she said softly.

  I was disappointed to feel nothing except a vague, uncomfortable prickling sensation along the back of my neck, but I didn't want to seem rude.

  "That sounds amazing," I said, a hint of envy in my voice.

  "Dior hopes you will experience it for yourself one day," she said with a faint smile.

  I smiled too as she walked onto the grassy field. I could still feel the tingle of energy in the air.

  She gestured to the ground beside her.

  "Many of these plants are projects by the older students in the Occult Research program. The use of runes, arrays, glyphs, and seals is a way to cast without actively having to expend one's mana reserves, at the cost of efficiency and speed, as well as the fact that it can easily be destroyed if not well-protected," she explained. "Come. This one shall show you."

  I stepped off the path, my footsteps sinking slightly into the grass. Dior's fingers traced over the ground, her brow furrowing with concentration.

  "The island is located on an intersection of ley lines, which are currents of magic energy," she continued. "They flow deep beneath the earth, unseen and yet ever-present. The school was built on top of a nexus of these lines, so that the mana-rich environment would make learning and studying easier."

  "So it's like the perfect place for a school of magic," I said.

  She nodded.

  "Here." Dior gently brushed aside a clump of moss to reveal a series of intricate, glowing runes etched into the ground. "This one can feel the energy of the ley lines flowing through them. The enchantments tap into this energy, using it to fuel their spells."

  "Wow," I said, impressed. "I never would have even thought to look for that."

  She nodded. "Dior is particularly sensitive to mana flows, so she is able to perceive the workings of these enchantments more clearly. If you cannot sense mana, then it is an impressively astute deduction to realize the plants shouldn't be here at this time of year. Impressive. Most of the other students are oblivious to these things, and would not think much about the plants being out of place."

  "Just an observation, I guess," I replied with a shrug.

  "You're a very observant person, then.

  Rai-chan was my only way to perceive these things, and the AI was particularly quiet right now. She did like to give me privacy whenever she thought it was appropriate.

  We walked along a cobblestone path veering off to the side down a hill, admiring the diverse plant life. The sun cast long, lazy shadows through the trees. The sound of a waterfall filled the air, and I could smell the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers.

  I spotted a few students in the distance, sitting in groups under trees or sprawled out on blankets in the grass, chatting and laughing together. The distant sound of an acoustic guitar drifted on the wind, mingling with the rustling leaves.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  I let out a soft chuckle. "So much for it just being a magic academy. This is like a resort or a spa."

  Dior's expression remained neutral. "St. Antonia's is one of the most prestigious academies in the realm. It is not unusual for students here to come from powerful or wealthy backgrounds."

  "True, I guess," I conceded. "But I still feel like I'm on some kind of dream vacation or something."

  "St. Antonia's Academy is very prestigious and wealthy, so the accommodations are quite nice, Ikki. That is why this one had hoped to study here. It is considered a privilege to be accepted." Dior explained.

  "So if you're here on scholarship. You're not from some fancy noble or wealthy background either, right?"

  "No," she suddenly snapped, and her eyes were dark as she gazed off into the distance.

  I thought it was a pretty innocent question, but maybe it struck a nerve with her. "Sorry if I brought up something bad," I said.

  She shrugged, sucking in a breath. "Dior does not mind. It is just not a comfortable tale to share with someone just yet, however. But perhaps one day, if we become closer friends."

  "I'll... look forward to it."

  She smiled reassuringly. "Dior hopes that we will get to know each other more and become close. You seem like a kind, sincere person. Dior has not had many friends, and this one hopes that you will be a good friend as well."

  Her earnestness surprised me, and I could feel the warmth of her sincerity. It was nice to know that I hadn't horribly screwed up our budding friendship.

  I didn't really have anything else to say. The conversation died down, and we walked on without a word.

  We walked in silence for a few moments, the distant sounds of laughter and music echoing across the garden. Finally, we stopped as she bent down by a patch of bare earth, touching it gently with her fingers.

  "Ah. There are a couple of enchanted seeds in here. This one can feel them. Let this one see if she can coax them out of their slumber. Perhaps it will be of interest."

  A thin wisp of golden energy seemed to emanate from her palm, sinking into the earth and coalescing around the seed. A faint, gentle glow began to radiate from the soil.

  I stared, transfixed as the guitar's strums continued to ring through the air. It was a gentle melody that seemed to match the mood of the moment.

  A few seconds passed, and then a small, green shoot sprouted from the earth, reaching up towards the sun. It quickly bloomed, erupting into a towering sunflower.

  "This one loves sunflowers, they remind Dior of home." She stood back up, dusting off her hands. "Dior's favorite flower is the Sunflower."

  "Why?" I asked.

  The question seemed to catch her off guard, and she hesitated for a moment before responding.

  "Sunflowers always grow towards the light, seeking out the sun," she said, a faint note of wonder in her voice. "They symbolize optimism, positivity, and strength."

  A nostalgic smile spread across her face. "This one would look at the fields of sunflowers outside her orphanage and imagine a brighter future. A brighter dawn."

  An orphanage... so that's where she was from. It was an intentional admission on her part, I realized. I had no idea what to say in response. I didn't want to pry, or bring up painful memories.

  "That's a lovely story," I managed, and I meant it.

  She looked up at me with a small smile, a twinkle of warmth in her eyes.

  "It's something to hold onto, in a world where monsters can emerge from the shadows," she said, her words hanging in the air.

  The slow melody resonating across the courtyard was punctuated by the occasional chirp of birds or the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. I couldn't help but be mesmerized by it all.

  The moment felt strangely perfect, a rare moment of tranquility and peace. And for that briefest of moments, everything was alright with the world. Whoever was strumming away was a talented musician, and the music made the moment that much more memorable.

  "Ah." Dior's sudden exclamation startled me from my reverie. I looked at her in confusion.

  She was looking at the tree behind us, her expression one of surprise.

  I followed her gaze to see what had caught her attention. There, nestled among the branches of the tree, was a large nest made of twigs and leaves. And sitting in the center of it was an owl, its feathers an unnaturally pure snow white.

  The owl's eyes seemed to lock with ours, its expression unreadable as it silently watched us from its perch. It was hard to tell what it was thinking or feeling.

  But I had the strangest feeling that the owl was grinning at us.

  "Is that an owl?" I whispered to her, trying to keep my voice low to not startle the creature.

  "Indeed, Ikki," Dior replied neutrally. "And a rather large one at that."

  We both continued to stare at the bird for a moment, and the bird stared back, unflinching and unwavering.

  "This one believes it is a familiar of the student playing the instrument. This one can feel its presence," Dior explained.

  "What do you mean?" I asked.

  "A familiar is a type of animal companion that can be summoned and controlled by a practitioner of magic. They can serve as a guardian, a spy, a messenger, or even a source of power," she replied.

  I looked at her quizzically.

  "It is normally Magical Girls who are known to have familiars. And most Magical Girls who choose to create one tend to have small, cute animals created from their own mana. An intelligent, autonomous creature bonded with them via ritual or spellwork is uncommon, and to see an actual animal bonded with a Magical Girl is nearly unheard of. A student from the Summoning department is more likely to have an actual creature for their companion. The mana cost of binding another entity to your soul is quite taxing."

  "Are they common?" I asked, still not fully understanding what she was talking about.

  "Not particularly," she replied. "But not as rare as some would believe. Magical Girls are much more likely to have a familiar than the average practitioner of the mystic arts. And it's usually small creatures like... an owl," she said, glancing up at the bird in the tree. "Familiars are often used to enhance a Magical Girl's magical abilities, or to provide a source of support and companionship."

  "So it's a magic owl?" I asked incredulously. The idea seemed absurd to me, but then again, so did much of the magical world I had been thrust into.

  Dior nodded. "Indeed, though it's likely not just an owl, but an intelligent being that can communicate with its owner.

  The owl tilted its head slightly as if it could sense our curiosity about it. I had always liked birds of prey, and this one was quite impressive. I took a step forward to get a closer look.

  "Don't move," Dior hissed in a whisper, grabbing my arm and yanking me back. Her grip was surprisingly strong.

  "Ow! Hey, what gives?" I protested.

  "Show this one respect. If this one's theory is true, then it could be very dangerous," she whispered. "This one does not think it is merely a familiar."

  The owl's eyes seemed to bore into mine, unblinking and unnerving. I felt a shiver run down my spine as the owl slowly extended its wings and flew towards us, its powerful talons digging into a branch right in front of us. Its feathers ruffled slightly, and its gaze never left my own.

  "Um... hello there," I said awkwardly.

  The bird cocked its head and regarded me silently for a moment, as if it was trying to gauge my intentions. The tension in the air was thick as we stared at each other, the only sound the distant music that filled the garden.

  Ok. Dior was right, there was something about this owl that seemed more than just a normal animal.

  It hooted once, twice. The owl turned its head, as if listening to something beyond our sight. It hooted once more, a sound that seemed to echo in my bones.

  I watched as the owl's gaze seemed to focus on something beyond our line of sight, as if it were looking past the trees and buildings of the academy. It hooted one more time, almost like it was laughing at its own joke, and then took flight.

  I watched it fly away, feeling strangely relieved.

  "It's gone," Dior said, a note of relief in her voice as well. "It had an ample amount of mana shared between it and its master, far more than the average Magical Girl would share. This one has never heard of a practitioner sharing such an amount with their familiar."

  I rubbed my neck, trying to calm down after the encounter. "Geeze. Knowing my luck, it'll end up being some crazy prodigy mage dude's pet that's gonna hate my guts."

  Dior looked up at me, her eyes narrowed in thought.

  "Ikki... you are a strange one." she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

  I shrugged, still a bit unnerved from our encounter with the owl.

  "Yeah, I guess so." We started to walk away, leaving the tree and the strange encounter behind.

  The soft plucking of the guitar abruptly stopped, and I looked back over my shoulder, frowning as the pretty melody disappeared.

  It had really set the mood of the whole scene, and I was a little sad to hear it end. Dior was right, the person behind it was quite talented. And now it was gone.

  We continued to walk in silence, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the path as we made our way through the winding paths and lush gardens. The atmosphere seemed different, the tranquility gone, replaced by an unsettling tension that lingered in the air. I could feel it in my bones, a sense of unease that I couldn't shake.

  I looked at Dior, who was frowning too, and she seemed to sense the same change in the atmosphere. "Man, whoever was behind that music was really good."

  She nodded, and we continued to walk in silence.

  Something... felt a little different. Like a spell had been broken. I didn't know what it was, but the whole vibe of the area had changed in an instant. Something in the air had shifted.

  I didn't like it. At all.

  Every sound was louder, every shadow deeper, and the whole atmosphere seemed darker, colder, and more hostile than it had just a few minutes ago. We took a few steps forward —

  And then Dior stopped in place.

  She was frozen in her tracks, her body rigid with tension.

  "Is something wrong?" I asked.

  Dior held up a hand to silence me. I watched as her eyes narrowed, scanning the surrounding trees and bushes.

  "This one has a feeling that something is not right." she murmured. Her tone had changed. It sounded like the same words, but she spoke slower, and more deliberately.

  "Is it the owl again? I can't see it." I looked around, but the white bird was nowhere to be seen.

  She didn't respond.

  Instead, she closed her eyes and her lips started moving silently, one hand clenched in a fist in front of her.

  But no sooner did she open her mouth to speak, a distant crashing sound caught both of our attention. It was quickly followed up by a loud, thudding boom.

  We both spun around to look in the direction of the sound.

  It had come from the direction we had come from, near the entrance of the auditorium.

  And coincidentally enough, it was where the person who was strumming that guitar had been.

  "That's coming from where the guitarist was!" I shouted. I started running towards the source, and Dior immediately mirrored me.

  I sprinted through the gardens, my heart pounding with anticipation. Dior was right by my side, somehow keeping up with me despite her shorter stature. It was probably none of my business, and I should have been minding my own, but something had felt off. The music had stopped, and the atmosphere had changed.

  I had a feeling in my gut that something had happened, and that person had been in trouble. And the crash only confirmed that something bad had indeed happened to them. I couldn't explain it, but it felt like a connection had been severed, and it was up to me to help them out.

  I had no idea what I was going to do, but something told me I just had to be there. It wasn't rational, it wasn't smart, but it felt right.

  Little did I realize that the decision to run towards the source of that crash was about to change my life forever.